Mirror's Edge: Recruiting the New Generation
by thestrange-ladymalz
Summary: Desiree wants to follow the guy she loves. Because of that she must go against and fight against her family. After the game. Inserts a few OC's. Merc is alive! Rated T Please R
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hiya. I hope you enjoy this. I have played and defeated the game many times and really liked it. It takes place after the game. Enjoy and Review please!

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_Monday, July 18-_

_I read about the runners in the newspaper. I read that they are a threat to society, a threat to our way of life. I heard about the runner who helped her sister and now is a wanted criminal.. My father is policeman, and used to tell me about his fights with the runners. I hung on every word, not because I was excited about his 'success' with the runners, but because I wanted to learn about the runners. Everything about them I found festinating. Their way of life, running on edge, always running. Part of me wants adventure. Part of me wants to be what my family is fighting against._

_Desiree _

I put her diary underneath my red plush pillow and locked the gold snap. I got up, stretched my arms. and walked out of my pink room. I shared a room with my older sister, who was the one to make it pink. I hate pink. I accidentally ran into my dad in our narrow hallway. He wore his worn navy blue police uniform, adorned with his badge and I knew that he was about to go to work. His squad had been working overtime to catch whatever runners.

"Hey Desi," he said patting my head and messing up my hair. At the age of sixteen, I still enjoyed my dad's kid affection. He treated me like I was still ten, but I didn't mind. "Are you still going for gymnastics tonight?"

"I have the competition tonight. Are you going to make it?" I asked. He shook his head and walked to the door, my heart sank. He gave my mother a kiss on her pale cheek and walked out the door heavy metal door and pushed it open, walking out. My mother gave me a apologizing glance as my older sister came prancing into the kitchen, her curly strawberry blonde hair bouncing with her step.. She sat down at the small metal dining table.

"When is dinner?" Fran said. Fran was a year older than me and looked like my mother, rich strawberry blonde hair, misty grey eyes. I looked like my father. We both had dark wavy brown hair and stronge, piercing blue eyes. I was tall and limber, like my dad too. I was basically his female carbon copy.

"About now," Mom said. She brought out a pot of Mac and cheese and put it on the table on top of an oven mitt. I sat down too as she scooped the pasta on the yellow floral designed plate in front of me.

"So are you coming to my competition?" I asked my mom. She looked at me and shook her head, making her short curls shake with her.

"Maybe, I might not be able to make it," She said. Fran laughed.

"That's because she is coming to my soccer game," Fran said in a 'they love me more than they love you' voice. I looked at her our eyes meeting. Her eyes shone with a triumph and I felt tears wavering in mine, I slammed my fork down, making the entire table shake and my moms glass of water fell, shattering on the floor, and left the table despite my mother yelling at me to come back. I walked into my room and slammed my door, sliding to the ground landing on the hardwood floor. We lived on the ninth floor in a steel apartment building complex ever since I could remember. I went to the window and shimmied it open, letting the cool breeze hit my chest. The building was about twelve stories high so I rolled up my light yellow blouse sleeves and adjusting my white under tank top. I jumped on the iron fire escape and began to climb up to the top, jumping and bringing myself up to the concrete roof. I flipped out my red cell phone and called my friend Dylan, who I happened to be in love with, but he doesn't know that.

"Mmff, hello," a muffled voice said. He was probably sleeping.

"Hey Dylan, it's Desi. So I was wondering if you wanted to come over after my competition?" I asked him picking at my short fingernails. I had to be at the gym in fifteen minutes. "I'm done at eight thirty."

"You have the competition for three hours!" I heard him exclaim. I rolled my eyes at him and he agreed to come over. I looked at the time on my phone and quickly got up, dusting off my jean shorts . I climbed back down the fire escape and into my room, I grabbed my red gym bag and walked out, passing my mother and Fran watching TV, sitting on the leather couch. I walked out the door, slamming the door harder than I meant too, and down the hall to the silver elevator. I pushed the elevator button and waited for the _bing_ of the open door. I stepped into the elevator and pushed the first floor button, and as I watched the door slide close, suddenly an arm came through the door and pushed it opened. I gasped as a woman with red clothes and black marking on her arm burst through the door and jumped up, pushing through the middle panel of the elevator ceiling. She jumped up and disappeared after putting the panel back. I pushed the closed door button and waited. I screamed as another arm came through, this one holding a gun. I fell to then floor holding my gym bag as a SWAT member pushed his was through the door and I screamed again as he pointed a very large gun in my face. His eyes relaxed. Well I thought they looked relax, there was only so much I could see through his mask.

"We lost her, there is only a civilian in the elevator," I heard him say. He left without saying a word. I just sat there, then scrambled to the buttons and hit the close door button. Hopefully that was the last of them.

The bell rang as the elevator opened on the first floor. The elevator opened right to the outside, and I saw a lot of police patrolling the streets, one after another. There seemed to be no end to them, but it was uncommon to see that many policemen outside at once. But there had been overactive runner activity lately, according to what I overhead while I was eavesdropping on my dad's conversations with the other police. One I saw down the street, was my dad. I walked down the block and across the street. I saw the lights of the gymnasium and the cars in the parking lot and picked up my speed to make it on time.

"Desiree," I heard my friend Liya say to me as I entered the changing room. "Your late, again."

"Yeah I know, but I'm a quick dresser," I said, wrapping my hair in a bun and began to undress. In no time flat, I was dressed in my black and yellow uniform leotard and gymnastic socks. I walked out with Liya in the small room next to the gym and saw the other people on our team. I could hear the bustle of people sitting in the stands, waiting for the teams to come out.

Coach Loren sat on the balance beam next to Missy McLain, the mayors niece.

"Okay the competition starts in fifteen minutes." Coach started. "Today is the day that we can show our stuff. Let's beat the Falcons and the Wolverines and show what the Cougars can do."

After the pep talk, Missy and her best friend Betty gathered the girls together. They had it in their head that having sparkles in your hairs and around you eyes will make you win. Betty sprayed the glitter in my hair and Missy dabbed the glitter around my eyes.

"Okay girls, let's get out there!" Coach yelled. We walked out there, the crowd cheering us on. I looked at the stands and saw Dylan sitting at the end. I caught his eyes and waved. I sat down on the hard wooden benches, waiting for my turn. I was the last one to go.

The time passed by quickly an before I knew it, Coach called my name. I was the last competitor of the last section of the competition. I jumped up as the announcer called out "freestyle."

I walked over and stood at the corner of the mat where the white line marked the border. the blinding lights shined, making my eyes squint. The hall was deathly quiet. I exhaled, I stood en-pointe on one foot briefly, transferring the motion to the other foot and pressing downwards to ease my muscles. Lingering there for a moment, I ran though my routuine that I had been practicing for over a month, clearing my mind of all distraction and visualized moving fluidly to land a Round-Off, Back Handspring, Triple Twist.

I broke off at a run, launching into an accelerated cartwheel and snapping my legs together in mid-tumble just before my palms touched the floor. Feet following suit, I pushed off using all of my strength, my body arching through the air as I moved backward to land on my hands. Using my momentum, I propelled myself into an arch once more, establishing an ever-so-brief contact with the cushioned surface before I was airborne again. Arms tucked into my ribcage and fists crossing my chest, I kept my body in a straight position as I went into a back somersault, executing three pivots around my midline axis at the same time. I landed on both feet with a thud, a tremor shooting through me dangerously before I stood straight again, arms raised above her head.

Above me were a few bars. They were there for me to use in my freestyle performance. I jumped up, grabbing the bar and flipping around, flying through the air, rolling into my land, then unrolling into a hand stand. Finally, I push myself in the air, using all of my energy to flip back upright. I raised my hands in conclusion.

Everyone clapped. My arms burned and ached. Overall my performance took eight minutes, but it only felt like a minute.

"Thanks to all of our competitors today. Judges will score and will send in the final notes in a few minutes," the announcer said as I walked back to my team. I was rewarded with pats on the back from my teammates. Dylan looked at me and winked.

My team and I sat on the bench, waiting for the scores.

"We have the final scores. Third place in the balance beam, Kelly Rippler, second…" The announcers called out the names and places. Finally came the Freestyle. "Third place, Missy McLain," I looked over at Missy, who looked pissed. "Second place Hanna Freemont and first place, Desiree Valor."

My teammates pushed me up to the middle arena area, where I received my blue ribbon.

…

I walked out of the locker room in my yellow blouse and jean shorts, along with my slim running shoes, and my hair loosely curling around my shoulders and my duffle bag slug across me chest. I held my blue ribbon and looked up to see Dylan hiding in the shadows. I noticed that he wore a red shirt and black pants.

"Hey Dylan, why are you…" I started, but was cut off when Dylan slapped his hand over my mouth and dragged me into the shadows. He let me go. "What the hell Dylan?"

"Listen, I came tonight because I won't be able to meet you later. In fact, I probably won't be able to see you ever," He told me.

"What?? Dylan, what is going on, why all the secrecy?" I asked him.

"Well, do you know my dad is a doctor?" he asked me.

"Yeah."

"Well, my uncle worked for the Runners," he started. My eyes widened. "One day, he showed up at our door bleeding to death from a few gunshot wounds. My dad helped him and then my dad was arrested for helping. My dad is in prison for helping a family member. I couldn't take it. So I joined my uncle Mercury. I joined the runners."

I stood there, mouth open. "What?"

"Listen, I thought I would tell you before you found out from your dad or someone," he said quietly. "I know that you dad is a blue. I, I hoped that maybe you wouldn't say anything to him about this."

I exhaled. "You're just… leaving. Just like that."

"My uncle almost died, and no one helped him. The one who did help him was arrested. I hate what this city has become. I know that you love your dad, but he is not the good guy here," Dylan told me.

"When are you leaving?" I asked him.

"I'm leaving right after this. I'm sorry Desi," He apologized. Dylan drew me in and hugged me. I noticed several markings on his arms. He looked me in the eyes then began to walk off into the shadows.

"Damn it Dylan!" I practically screamed. He looked back at me, confused. I marched up to him, I felt hurt and confused. "Did you think you could tell me this and leave me hanging? No! I'm not going to take that."

"What are you saying?" He asked me.

"I'm saying that we have been friends ever since I can remember. We covered for each other and broke the law how many time. Because of that I am not letting you walk into a death wish of becoming a runner," I scolded him.

"Okay I'm confused," Dylan raised his brow.

"Of course you are. It's easy to confuse you. That is exactly the problem. When we were young, I covered for you and got you out of so many jams. Same with you for me," I explained.

"Can't you just tell me what you really mean. I hate when you are all cryptic," He shook his head.

I sighed. "I'm saying. I want to join you. I want to join you and the runners."

"No."

"What? Why not?" I explained.

"I am not going to risk your life…"

"Wait. Are you worried about me?" I asked him, laughing a bit.

"Yeah. Of course I am," He sternly nodded.

"Who was the one that walked across the pipes above 12 stories of open space? Who was the one that always took the risks?" I asked him.

"It's not about me being worried about you falling or anything. I am worried about the blues killing you. You're dad has no mercy. He won't think twice before shooting you. I don't want to put you in that position," He said worryingly.

"Listen. As far as my family is concerned, Fran is perfect daughter. I was the mistake. They only planned on having one kid. They won't notice I'm gone for at least a week," I shrugged.

"I am not taking you with me," He sternly proclaimed. "That is final."

I smiled and laughed, then grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. He stood his ground but I could feel him wavering a bit. I wrenched his arm a bit more. "Now I am going with you."

I let go of his arm. He looked at me with worry. Finally he said, "Fine. I knew I should of just left."

"Yeah but if you would have left. I would have killed you. Just let me grab some stuff at home, then we can leave," I said.

"Why do I have a feeling that this is going to turn out bad?" he hung his head.


	2. Chapter 2

_Previously: "Why do I have a feeling that this is going to turn out bad," he hung his head._

I shook my head at Dylan, slung my duffel bag over shoulders and walked through the alleyways. I spotted the apartment building.

"I'll meet you behind the school after I grabbed my stuff," I told him. Dylan nodded, then broke off in the other direction in a dead run. I waited until he disappeared around the corner to begin walking again. Everyday the city seemed to grow. I ran up to the elevator, then stopped. I didn't feel like running into another runner. I turned and pushed the heavy metal double doors to the stairs and marched up. I stopped as I reached the second floor. I looked up to the wall and back and forth between the open staircase with it's surrounding railing. I secured my bag around my shoulders, walked a few stepped back, and ran. I jumped, secured my feet and pushed off on the wall with my hands, twisted my body and launched myself off of the wall, flying through the air and latching on to the railing. I hung limply for a moment, then hoisted myself up and over the railing. Two floors in one jump.

It felt awesome.

I continued up the stairs and to the door to the apartment and jiggled the door open. I fumble in to see my mom and Fran sitting on the couch. Fran was in her pajamas and so was my mom. I glanced at the clock, it only read about quarter to nine. I thought Fran had a soccer game tonight. Her games went late into the night.

"Hey didn't you have a game tonight?" I asked her. Fran smiled.

"No I don't have another game for a while," She smirked.

"Well, then why couldn't you come to my competition? I won a blue ribbon. If you weren't doing anything, why didn't you come?" I asked. My chest seemed to compact and I found it hard to breath. My mom rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Honey, I am sorry that I could go to your cheerleading competition, it's complicated…" She started. Fran always teased that mom and dad loved her more, but now I was starting to believe it.

"No! First of all, I am not a cheerleader, I am a gymnist, second it's not complicated. You know what? Forget it. Forget it. I don't care," I laughed a bit. Then the smile dropped from my face and I marched to my room, slamming the door hard. The neighbors downstairs could probably hear it. I peeled off my clothes and changed into black fitting flexible jeans and a tight black shirt with long sleeves, clothes that are comfortable to move in, but I could hid in too. I dumped my stuff from my bag and rummaged through my dresser drawers. I grabbed my clothes that I could run in, shorts, loose pants, and a few of Fran's clothes. I ripped her favorite blouse in half, the folded it gently back in the drawer. I turned to my closet and packed in a few books and my other favorite things, my grandmothers necklace, shoes, and a few of Fran's expensive things, maybe I could sell those later. I was surprised that much stuff could fit in my bag. I then came across a box. I noticed it as Fran's diary. The one she kept everything in. I couldn't open the copper lock that surrounded the black leather binding, but I found a piece of paper sticking out of it. It looked like is was ripped from a corner of the page. It didn't reveal anything except two letters_. __I _and _C_. I wondered what those were for a moment before shrugging it off.

I walked to my bed and stuffed a few pillows underneath the cover. I have had times when I could sleep for days without being interrupted, so I thought I would be safe with this for a few days. I grabbed two final things. My diary, and a laser pointer. I knew that you could not go on with life with out a laser pointer, it always seemed to get someone out of every kind of jam. Then I felt I was done here. I turned to open the window and jump out, but I stopped. The only time I recall that I knew that my parents, or at least my dad, liked me more than Fran. I set my bag down and walked out of my room. I glanced at the living room, my mom and Fran were completely engrossed in whatever they were watching on TV. I tiptoed to my parents room, a clean, ultra organized, pure white covered room. I crouched next to the bed and flipped over the white eyelet duvet cover and reached under the bed. I groped the soft carpeted floor until I found an embossed box. I brought it to my lap and opened it, revealing a glistening silver lined knife. I remember my dad telling me that the knife had been in his family for as long as the family has been in the police business, which has been a long time. He told me that someday, if I decided to join the police business, I would get it next. I loved it ever since. The handle was engraved with little picture describing a bloody hunt and the blade that had the words _Last resort _etched into the side.

I stole the knife and wrapped it in the holder, pocketed it in the deep pockets of my jeans, then pushed the box back to it's spot. I then fixed the bedspread to it's formal perfection. Looking back at the bedroom, I gently closed the door. I then faced down the hallway and saw that my mother and sister hadn't moved an inch.

"I'm going to bed," I told them. All I got was a nod from my mother. I exhaled and walked back into my room, locked the door and grabbed my running shoes. I slipped them on and tied them tight. I bet that tying shoes so tight that it basically cuts the circulation off from my feet, but for some reason, I loved the feeling, and I never got blisters. I pushed the window opened and started to step out. Before I closed the window, I looked at a family portrait that sat on Fran's nightstand. Mom and Dad were sitting in the back and Fran and I were kneeling in front. Dad was in his professional uniform and we were all in formal clothes. Mom and Dad both had one had on each of Fran's shoulders. I was alone in the picture.

For a moment, there was a doubt that I wouldn't be able to leave my family. But that doubt vanished with a breeze tingling my neck. I gently closed the window and turned to the darkened city. I took my phone out of my pocket and looked at it. I figured that my dad could poorly trace me with it, I could just get a new one later. My grip tightened and I retracted my arm and launched the cell phone, watching it fly through the air, the LCD screen glowed in the midst of the black night. As it fell, I could see it shrink, then eventually, shatter on the ground.

Finally, with out looking back I ran down the fire escape, then bolted in a dead set run to the school.

…

I felt like I was walking on air I was running so quietly. I had a thousand different emotions running through me. I had dreamt of running away from home, but then I had no where to go. Now, I had somewhere to go, and a purpose to keep going. I turned around the corner and slowed down as I approached the school grounds. I spotted Dylan leaning against the shadowed brick wall, and I stopped when he was approached by an older woman. She crossed her arms and scolded at Dylan. She looked familiar. She wore red clothes and she had intricate markings tracing her arm. Then I remembered. She was the runner from the elevator.

I kept to the shadowed wall and walked to Dylan.

"Ready," I said. He jumped around and he looked startled. The woman glared at me.

"What is this?" She sounded angry.

"This is Desiree. She wants to join too," Dylan told her. The woman sighed and shrugged. The moonlight shone on her face and now I got a good look at her. She had her blonde hair cropped short and held back with a red ribbon, but a few strands fell around her face.

"Well. I supposed that's okay. My name is Hera. I'll bring you to our place, but you need to keep up. I'll try to go slow," She told us. "Basically, we'll start by going up to the rooftops, then you can follow me."

I secured my bag around my shoulders as I saw Hera run off. I ran too, and Dylan followed close behind me. She jumped and climbed up pipes and stuff. She was heading to the roof and while she ran up the ladder and the fire escape, I took off to the right and spotted a pipe. I jumped and began to climb, reaching the roof at the same time as Hera. Dylan came up behind her and we all ran, jumping across the rooftops. It was so exhilarating.

We ran for a while, I was surprised that I didn't tire out. We reached an abandoned building at the edge of the city and on the roof, Hera opened a hatch on the floor and dropped in. I looked at Dylan, who nodded for me to go in. I looked down and dropped in, landing on a metal platform. I looked up and stepped foreword. Dylan landed beside me and I saw Hera rushing down the stairs. It was a small jump, so Dylan and I ducked underneath the railings and jumped down, landing on the metal floor. Hera nodded and opened a door, gesturing us to go in. It led back outside.

There was a hole in the ground, half covered by a manhole. Hera jumped in disappearing. Dylan went in too. I approached the hole and placed my palms on the edge and lowered myself in, falling a few feet before hitting the ground. I looked up and was amazed at what I saw. There were several computers and an archway leading to several corridors. A black couch was against the wall.

"Looks like we have one more," Hera said. I didn't know who she was talking too, but I figured it out when two people popped up from behind a computer monitor. Both were guys, one had his arm in a sling. His hair was shaved close to his head and his arm was covered in markings, but she could only see a bit in between the short sleeve of his shirt and the sling. The other wore his brown hair back and had an earpiece at his ear. Dylan smiled.

"Hey Uncle Merc," He said, shaking his good hand. "How's that arm doing?"

"Fine, I guess. I can take the sling off in a week," Merc replied. "Who's the girl?" he asked. A little smirk played at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, this is Desiree Aadams, she's a friend," Dylan said, gesturing toward me. Something in Merc must of clicked. His eyes opened a bit more.

"Aadams, huh? As in…" He started.

"As in Lieutenant Aadams, yeah. You know you left a nice scar from when you shot him. Good shot too, a bit to the left and you could of paralyzed his left arm," I said. He laughed a bit.

"Anyway, this is Drake, he is in charge of handing out the jobs and a guider. You will both be put under Merc's wings, he'll be your guide," Hera told them. Something beeped and she reached at her ear. Then she nodded. "See ya later," she saluted and jogged to the hole and hoisted herself up.

Merc walked out from behind the computer and led Dylan and I down the corridor. He stopped at a door. I'm not sure why, but the entire place seemed to have a bluish glow.

"Here is you're room. I didn't know she was coming, but there is a bunk bed in there. We will start training tomorrow," He said, opening the door. I peered in, seeing a bunk bed, a large dresser and a few other miscellaneous things. Dylan nodded and as Merc walked away, I heard him say "I wish I had a bunk bed."

I walked into the room and Dylan was close behind. He kept the door opened a bit.

"Do you have a problem sharing a room?" I asked him. His brown eyes shifted back and forth. I laughed at his sudden insecurity.

"Well…" he started. I laughed a bit harder.

"It's alright. I see you as a brother, nothing more. If it was more, that would just be weird," I told him. There was a voice in my head chanting the same word over and over again.

LIAR!

"Well, in that case… I get the top bunk," He smiled, walking and leaning on the bed frame. I walked up to him and smiled too.

"In your dreams," I informed him. I placed my palm on his shoulder and pushed him, causing him to tumble backwards and fall on the floor. I tossed my bag up on the top bunk and pushed myself up onto the mattress. There was already a pillow and a few blankets. I pushed my bag to the foot of the mattress and layed my head on the pillow. I heard the rustle that Dylan made, getting ready for his sleep. I stared at the dots on the ceiling. When the lights went out and I couldn't see anymore. My eyelid grew heavy and before I slept, I thought of two things.

When would my parents realize I was missing, and what were they going to do about it?

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AN: Here is the chapter, I hope you enjoy.

I have no clue what Drake looks like. If anyone does, you can tell me. I have introduced another one of my OC's Hera. She will pop up now and again, so expect her to come again. I will get into more action with in the next few chapters so keep reading and keep reviewing please!


	3. Chapter 3

_Previously: When would my parents realize I was missing, and what were they going to do about it?_

When I woke up, the room was pitch black, the door was closed and I could see my hand in front of my face. I realized that I had fallen asleep in my clothes and I could feel the knife still in my pocket. I sat up and leaned forward, feeling around for my bag at the end of the bed. I touched the smooth strap and grabbed it, pulling it foreword. I felt for a pulled at the zipper and when it was opened I rummaged through the bag and took out a watch. I lit the screen up and read the time. It was five o'clock. It was early, but not too early. I normally go up this early and stretched for an early morning practice on top of roof of the apartment building. The glow from the watch lit up the room a bit. I bent over the railing, leaving my head upside down, my hair spilling over my head. One hand held me steady and the other one kept the watch lit and shined it at Dylan, who was dead asleep on the bottom bunk. His face looked ghoulish with the light, his mouth hung open and his head slung back. Quietly laughing, I whipped my head back and poke around my bag again, and pulled out a little reading light.

"Look who finally decided to show up," I heard a voice say from outside our door. I jump quietly down from bed and crept near the door. I carefully turned the knob and opened it so a sliver of light seeped into the room. I looked and saw Dylan's uncle and another girl standing in the hallway, she wore a red sleeveless shirt and had her pale blonde hair in a ponytail at the top of her head.

"Look I know what I did was wrong, but I needed something to wake me up. I already spoke to Faith. We had a really good talk, I really hoped that I could come back," The girl said. Her face was hard, like is was carved from stone, but her eyes were drowned with desperation.

"I don't know Celeste," Merc hesitated. "Tell you what, I don't know about you coming back, I'll have to discuss it with Drake and some others. But I do need help. I got a few new runners that need to be trained. They start tomorrow," Merc told Celeste.

"Merc, you have no idea…" she started. Merc raised his hand.

"Don't start," Merc cut her off. He then returned to his computer. Celeste exhaled deeply, then walked away, vanished from my view. I turned back and climbed the ladder that lead to the top bunk. I fingered through my stuff, taking out a pair of black shorts and a white and red shirt, the red stretched across my chest for support. I often wore this shirt then I practiced for gymnastics and the shorts were the most comfortable for me to stretch and run in. I figured Dylan should be getting up, it was five thirty now. I shoved socks on my feet then grabbed my shoes by the laces. I jumped back down on the floor and walked over to the light switch and flipped it on. The single light bulb offered more light than I through it would, but Dylan's head was still hidden in the shadows of the bunk bed. I walked over to him and poked his forehead. He groaned. I poked him again and he scrunched his brow. I poked him really hard.

"FINE! I get the idea, you want me to get up," He groaned. He always slept in.

"Okay then. Hey do you know who Celeste is?" I asked him. Maybe he had some background info on her.

"Kinda. I know of her, she betrayed Merc a while back when there was a big fight between the Runners and the Blues. I think she also assassinated Pope a while back . But I don't know any more than that," He explained to me, rubbing his eyes and speaking in a really dead toned voice. I nodded then stretched my back.

"I'll leave you to get dressed," I smiled, he groaned then tried to go back to bed, but I whipped the blanket away from him, revealing his black striped night pants and his white shirt. "Hurry," I told him. I opened the door, then walked out. I entered the main area to see Merc and that other guy, Drake I think, sitting near the computer. I took a clip out of my pocket and pushed the sides of my hair back, clearing it out of my face, then secured it behind my head with my silver clip. The light shone through the manhole that lead into the lair.

"Hey, kid," I heard a voice. I turned as something was thrown at me. I caught it in a startle and jumped a little. I opened my hands to see a little intercom earpiece. Merc looked at me, he was still sitting in the chair in front of his computer, and he was talking to someone through his intercom. Once he was done he looked at me. "Just to tell you, that intercom… is your life, don't lose it. You're going to meet another runner here," He said, pointing to a spot on a map that was mounted on the wall. I never noticed it before, but it took up the entire back wall. He pointed to a specific spot, and what I could see, it was a group buildings about a quarter of a mile west of here, about in the center of the city. In fact, it was just a few rooftops away from here. His point was vague, so he could of pointed to the several other clusters of building that were around there too. I dug in my pocket and took out my laser pointer.

"Do you mean here?" I asked him, pointing to one cluster with the laser pointer, "Or here?" I asked again, shifting to the other group of buildings. He looked at me, eyed the laser pointer and smirked.

"Here," He told me, pointing more directly. I make the 'okay' gesture with my hand. "Hey is the boy up yet?" Merc asked. I guess that when he said the boy, he meant Dylan. Before I could say anything else, a half conscience Dylan walked out, one eye was down the other was barely open. His hair was completely messed up. I forgot that he wasn't a morning person. He had black pants and a red shirt on. His left arm showed a circuit like tattoo stopping at his elbow. When did he get that?

"We are going here," I told him, using my laser pointer to point to the little bundle of buildings that Merc had pointed to earlier. Dylan looked at the laser pointer.

"You still have that?" He asked me. I laughed. I remembered when we were younger, I would carry the pointer around with me everywhere. I elbowed him, hoping to get a smile out of him, but his face was stern.

"Let's go," I said. Dylan and I walk over to the opening. I grip the edge and swung my legs up over the edge and hoisted myself up and out. I stood straight, soaking in the suns rays. I turn to see Dylan, already out, standing next to me.

"That way," He told me, pointing to the left.

"I know directions. I'm not blonde," I point out, tapping my head. I looked to the west. I smiled. "Race you there," I said, breaking into a run. I kicked the door open leading into the building and ran in, Dylan followed at me heels. I dashed up the stairs and through the hatch that Hera left open. I jumped past the gaps in between the buildings. I spotted the next rooftop, the one that Merc told us to go too and leap from the edge, landing gently

"Hahaha I win I win," I sang, dancing in a circle. I saw Dylan land behind me and his face was cold. He looked pissed.

"Desiree," He said sternly. I raised an eyebrow.

"What?" I asked back.

"You can't do this," He said. His voice was low and like a growl. He always did this before he blew up.

"Can't do what?" I asked again. His green eyes were ablaze.

"You can't keep thinking of this as a joke. This is not a game. I can't believe you are taking things so lightly!" He yelled. I shrunk back. He never yelled at me like this.

"Hey! Don't yell at me! Just… calm down," I snapped.

"You just don't get it. I have a reason to be here. I don't know why I allowed you to come along. You don't belong here! You don't have a reason to be here!" Dylan glared at me.

"You have no idea what you are talking about," I scowled at him.

"You have always complained about your life, but it can't be bad enough to run away to what your family is fighting against," He barked.

"Like I said, you have no idea what you are talking about. Don't yell at me for following you. I have my reasons, and I don't feel like explaining my family life," I said calmly. "And we shouldn't be yelling. Someone might hear."

I turned around, my back facing Dylan. Why was he acting this way? I shook my head and flipped backwards, making my body into an arch. Gently lifting my feet off the ground, I went into a handstand. My hair rested against the ground and I saw an upside down Hera and Celeste coming towards me. I flipped back, doing a couple of back flips before setting upright.

"Looks like we got ourselves a cheerleader. Those skills will definitely help you," Hera laughed a bit.

I huffed. "I am not a cheerleader. I am a gymnast."

Celeste nodded and Hera shrugged. "Celeste and I are going on a run through of the course. Dylan, you'll follow me. Desiree, you'll follow Celeste," Hera explained. "Come on boy." Hera and Dylan ran off to the left and to the adjoining rooftop.

Celeste turned to my and smiled, making her solid face soften for a moment. "Okay, we are running the course and go through obstacles. Just try to follow me and don't fall. You're a gymnast, so I don't think you'll have a problem. Let's go," She said, starting off into a run and leaping from one small roof to another, and crawling up and over a fence. I followed her, almost not making the jump. I slid and jumped up, grabbing and crawling over the fence, just like Celeste. She smiled and ran sliding under pipes and jumping over a vent, then kicked open a door. I tried to do everything just like she did, but it was difficult, I could feel blood running through every part of my body.

…

The sun rested on the horizon. I laid on my belly, looking over the edge. I was across the street from my house, watching intently, for any sign that my family even noticed that I was gone. I has a perfect view of inside my bedroom, though the windows.

My bed was gone. There was only one bed in there, covered in a pink bedspread.

Not even a missing persons sign, nothing from them, they just excepted the face that I was gone.

"Hey," I heard a voice say behind me. I turned by head sharply and saw Dylan, who went and sat right beside me.

'What are you doing here?" I asked him. Anger boiled in me still from earlier.

"After practice, Celeste said that you just left, and I wanted to apologize," He told me. I kept my gaze on our, or now Fran's, bedroom window.

Then I scoffed, "Yeah right."

"What?" Dylan asked, confused. I rolled my eyes.

When we were younger, I had learned that I was one of Dylan's only friends. He had a few other friends, but I was the one he always hung out with. Then there were sometimes that he and I would argue and fight. He couldn't stand losing me as a friend, so he would apologize, take the blame, just so than we could be friends again. He apologized and sometimes he didn't even mean it.

"You don't want to apologize. Even if you do, you still don't want me here and in your mind, you will basically do everything you can to make me go. And I understand that you just want to protect me and you are doing it out of love, because you don't want to see you best friend shot or killed. But you seriously don't understand my situation," I explained.

Dylan looked at me, speechless. "I'll see you back at the hideout." Then he left.

I looked back through the window, then my gaze fell on the main door. A girl with curly blond hair walked up to the building. It was Fran. I dug into my pockets and found a small one-eyed binocular. I looked through it and saw Fran with her hair in a ponytail and a black bag around her shoulder. A black sleeve came out of it. That wasn't the bag that Fran used for soccer, and that wasn't a sleeve for her soccer uniform. I couldn't figure out what it was.

A few minutes later I saw Fran and my mother through the large living room window. They sat at the dinner table together.

A tear escaped from my eye. They were laughing. I had disappeared, and they didn't care. _Great_. I was about to leave when Fran got up and did something weird. She got up from her chair and punched the air. Then she did several round kicks in the air. It was almost like a martial arts move.

Normally I wouldn't of cared, but now…

Fran didn't fight physically. She always said it would mess up her hair. So why was she using martial arts. Fran was more of a 'mentally disarm your opponent' kind of girl. She tore you out from the inside using mental tactics.

I sat there in wonder. What the hell was Fran doing?

**AN: What is Fran doing? Haha. **

**I don't own anything except for Hera, Desiree, Fran, Dylan and all of my other wonderful ocs**


	4. Chapter 4

_Previously: What the hell was Fran doing?_

I can't really remember the last time I cried, and I mean really, really, cried. Crying because your ankle snaps in the middle of gymnastics practice doesn't count. The last time I cried I believe was when my grandmother from my father's side died. She really cared about me; she was one of the only people who liked me more than Fran. If I remember correctly, she told me Fran was a 'manipulative brat'. I am sure that because I was only eight at the time, she held back on some words.

I sat on the bunk bed, on the top, with my knees to my chest. I didn't care for my family, not as much as I thought I would. But it still hurt to see them just abandon my like that, not even bother to look for me.

…

Two weeks later.

"Desiree?" Someone said, knocking on my door. It opened and someone came in. It was Hera. I tossed the book that I was reading, some crap I stole from Fran, on the dresser across the room.

"Yeah, what do you need?" I asked her. She smiled and gave me something, a lump of red fabric. I took it and unfolded it. It was one fingerless glove. "A glove?"

"All runners need one. It helps with climbing and stuff. It was mine when I first started out, I was about your age, and I kind of grew out of it. I wanted you to have it," She told me. During the past few weeks, I have been following her; she was sort of my mentor. It meant a lot to me. I smiled, and then put on the glove, making it tight. I liked it.

"Thanks!" I responded. She smiled too, which was odd, since she almost never smiled. But what was even odder, was that she kept smiling, even during the minute if silence. "Is something wrong?" I asked her, confused.

"No," She kept smiling. "Everything is fine. In fact, you have done remarkably well in training for the past few weeks and we think that you are ready." Her smile went from innocent to a type of sinister smile, the kind that Fran would use when she was planning something.

"Ready for what?" I asked hesitantly. Hera laughed and led me by the arm out of the room and down the hallway to the end, the last door.

"For your initiation," She told me and opened up the door. There in the room, Merc, Dylan, and Celeste were standing around a chair. There was another guy in the room, one I didn't recognize. He must be new.

Merc walked up to me. "Desiree, when you first came here, you were an uninvited runaway. But now, you are about to be a real runner. But in order to be one, you need your mark."

My mark…wait…_what!?_

"Oh, no… no, no, no, no, no! NO!" I said, or yelled, I wasn't sure, my ears were ringing. There was a table, with a rather large needle. "No, I can't do needles."

"It's true," Dylan added, smirking.

I hated needles. I made a fit whenever I went to the doctor for a shot. This is why my ears are not pierced, or why I don't have a tattoo, even through my friend Liya always tried to make me get one.

"Well, that is just too bad," Hera patted my shoulder and sat me down in the chair. "If you want, we can get you something to bite on." I gulped and frowned at her attempted to funny.

The guy, who must have been a doctor, picked up the needle. I looked at Dylan, who was chuckling at me. "I hate you," I whispered, but he just smiled.

"Okay, let's just get this over with," I told everyone. Merc looked at me and held up some papers, each with a circuit board pattern on it. "Pick which one you want, and where you want it."

I looked at them; they all looked the same, so I picked the one that looked the least complicated. Then I picked my left arm. This was because I lost some feeling in that upper part of my arm when I dislocated my shoulder. The doctors told me that my bone hit a nerve and that the skin on the upper part of my arm was going to be always a bit numb. It helped, especially when I fell during gymnastics right on my arm, it didn't hurt so bad.

I also have a habit of blacking out under extreme pain. Or when I saw needles.

The doctor guy came at me, holding the needle. After that, I can't remember anything.

…

I woke up with a stinging pain in my arm. I opened my eyes, and I was in my room. I looked at the ceiling, the countless dots that I had tried to count. I got up and looked at my arm; it was wrapped in white bandages. For a moment I panicked, not knowing what happened, and then I remembered. Tattoo.

"Hey, you're up," A voice said. I bent my head over the side of the bed and looked at Dylan, who was sitting, or lying, on his bed. I snapped my head back up. "How's the arm?"

"Fine," I responded, rubbing the bandages.

Dylan got up from his bed and looked at me. "The method that the runners use for making tattoos is better than regular ways. It'll heal faster."

I got down from the bunk and to the dresser and got out a sweater and a hat, then walked out of the room. When I got to the main room I went up to Merc. "I'm going to get something to eat. Do you want me to bring you something?" I asked him. During the past week I have really gotten to know him, because he was teaching me to track on the computer.

"No it's okay Desiree. I have a pizza from yesterday that I am eating. I like my toppings 'matured'," He told me. I laughed and walked to the man hole, then jumped out. It was sunny out, but windy. But it was nice.

I walked to the main road, watching the cars go whizzing by. The mall was down town and they had my favorite restaurant there, a small sandwich shop called _Oric's. _They had the best meatball subs.

I opened the door and walked up to the counter and ordered, ate, then walked out. The city was glistening in the sun. I looked around seeing cops all around the place. It was strange. Before I could go around, seeing cops and I wouldn't care. I was used to it. Now…

Now I had to be careful.

…

I was on my way back to the hideout. I had the route memorized. Merc told me to take a long route, so then if anyone was trying to follow me, I could lose them. Through the doors and out of the building, I went to the manhole, but was stopped when I heard a voice. It was Dylan's.

"Come on! Why not?" Dylan asked. I crouched by the manhole, enough so I could hear, but so they couldn't see me. I wondered what Dylan was yelling about.

"Because, you know that things are hard now. We can't afford to lose one, especially not as talented as her," Merc told him. His voice was stern.

Dylan sighed and went to a pleading voice. "Listen, I don't think that she knows what is involved in the job, what happens if…"

"Dylan, I appreciate that you are worried about your girlfriend, but if she didn't know, then she wouldn't have made it through training. She is skilled. Maybe her weapon handling could use a little work, but she can be a great runner, someday," Merc explained to Dylan

Dylan huffed, and then went to his room. I got up, waited for a minute or so, and then jumped in through the manhole. "Hey Merc," I greeted.

He looked at me, smiled then asked me, "Can you do something for me?"

I shrugged. "Sure, what?"

"I want you to meet with another runner, her name is Faith. I noticed that you are good with running, but you can use work on sparring. She is pretty good. Maybe after you get better at sparring, I'll get you a real job," Merc told me, patting me on the shoulder with his good hand. I grinned.

"Really?" I asked, excited. "I mean, really, seriously?"

"Sure! We have had a lot of jobs coming in, and we are short on runners," He started, and then tossed me my ear piece. "I have Faith waiting for you. Get going."

"Thanks, bye!" I smiled. Just as quickly as I came in, I got out. I was so excited. All that was on my mind was being on a real job. I quickly jumped, trying my hardest to make it to my destination in the quickest time possible.

Finally, I made it to the large building that Merc told me to go. It was an old warehouse, full of boxes and machinery.

"Nice to meet a new runner," A soft voice came through the air. I turned around to see two people sitting on one of the machines. One of the jumped down, her short cropped hair partially hiding her tattoo that marked her face. "I see you just went through the initiation," She pointed to my wrapped arm.

"Yeah. I'm Desi. You must be Faith," I introduced.

"Desi? As in Desiree?" Another voice said. I looked at the second shadowed person sitting on the machine. I couldn't see her face, but her voice was real similar to Faiths.

"Yeah." I responded.

"Desiree Aadams?" She asked again, her voice lowering.

"Let me guess," I sighed. "You know my father, the Lieutenant Aadams. He probably shot at you one time or another." I saw the other woman jump down, and my eyes went wide. "Kate?"

I remember her. Whenever I went to the police dinners with my father, Kate was always there and my father really liked her. They usually worked together. I heard that she went rouge after she was accused of Pope's murder.

"Wow, I haven't seen you in a long time?" Kate smiled at me. "I thought for sure that you would be in Junior Police League by now. When did you become a runner?" She asked me.

"A while ago," was all I said. I didn't really feel like getting into the reasons.

"I love to see a reunion, but we don't have a lot of time, Kate," Faith told her. She turned to me, her small eyes fixing. "Let's get started."

We started with some simple hand to hand, kicking, throwing punches and such. I used my acrobatic skills to dodge and figured that not getting hit was good, but I still needed to be able to hit the person I was fighting.

We practiced for a while, making me tired. We ran through weapon discharge, and firing a weapon too.

"Nice job," Faith commented me. I had my hands on my knees and my breathing was heavy. She chuckled, "Don't worry, you'll get the stamina sooner or later."

"Yeah, thanks," I wheezed.

She touched my shoulder and smiled, "You did a good job, and you will be a good runner someday. Just be careful," She finished, glancing at her watch. "Come on Kate, let's go."

With that, they both disappeared, leaving me all alone. I started walking, out of the warehouse and down the street, pulling the sleeves of my long shirt all the way down to my wrists.

"Well, well, look who we have here," A chuckling voice rang out. I tensed up immediately, knowing the voice full well. It was the voice of Fran. I turned around to see Fran smiling, her blonde curls cascading down her black suit.

"What are you doing here?" I asked seething. She was the last person who I wanted to see.

"I should be asking you that. You know, Daddy Dearest is just crushed that you joined the runners. When he heard the news, he couldn't stop crying," She mocked in a sad voice. "Infect I remember his saying that he hopes that he never sees you again, knowing full well he would need to kill you if he found you."

"Shut up Fran!" I growled. "Stay out of my way, or I'll-"

"You'll what?" She interrupted me. "Everyone knows you can't do anything. You are the screw up of the family."

I cringed, trying my hardest not to throw a punch, or bash her skull in. She continued to ramble about how my life was insignificant.

"ENOUGH!" I yelled. She stopped, but the smile was still there. I quickly dove at her, where she easily dodged, but my plan wasn't to hit, it was to distract. She fell to the ground surprised, and I took off. I ran as fast as I can, but she somehow managed to catch up, and grasped my arm, throwing my to the ground.

"Well, I guess there is a good thing about you going runner, now I have a good reason to kill you," Fran sneered. "Because it is my job to kill runners."

She smiled as she took off her jacket, revealing a black training suit, and etched into the arm, was the word _Icarus._

**AN: What do you think!? Please tell me what you think! Fran is evil, but I guess we already knew that. R&R**


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